Electric ignition apparatus for internal-combustion engines.



C. H. THORDARSON. ELECTRIC IGNITION APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1907.

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ELECTRIC IGNITION APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1907. 9 1 4,532 Patented Mar. 9, 1909. 3 SEEETS-SHEET 2.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHESTER H. THORDAIISON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Emc'rmc IGNITION APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification Letters Patent.

Patented March 9, 1909.

Engines; and

full, clear, and exact descripfollowing 1s a tion thereof, reference being had 'to the acconipauying drawin s, and'to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electric i nition apparatus 'for explosive engines and to improvements in generators adapted for use in the appended clalms.

As shown in the drawings :-Figure 1 is a partial side elevation and artial crosssection of a generator made in accordance with my invention, the section bein taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 5. Fig. 2 is a 11 side elevation thereof. Fi 3 is an axial section, taken on line 3-3 0 Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross-section, taken on line 44 of Fig. 3. Fi 5 is an axial section, taken on line 5-5 of ig. 1. Fig. 6 is a cross-section, taken on line 66 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the pole extensions of the inductor or field magnet. Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate detached parts of the armature core. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of one side of the frame for fixing the armature core Fig. 11 is a detail of, one of the circuit breakers. Fig. 12 is an end elevation of said circuit breaker. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the cam for actuating the clrcuit breakers of the generator. Fig. 14 is a diagram illustrating the several circuits of the generator and their relation to the circuit breaker.

The enerator herein shown is of the alternatlng current type and embraces, in general terms, a stator carrying a plurality of coils, each composed of a primary and a secondary winding, and a rotor surrounding the same carrying a plurality of permanent magnets having pole extensions which rotate in inductive relation to the coils on the stator. There are a number of coils equal to thenumber of sparking terminals of the explosive engine, or other device associated therewith, and the secondary circuit of each in such engines, and the. invention consistsin the matters hereinafterset forth and more particularly pointed out coil is connected with its own sparkin terminal, each coil operating independent y of the other coils to produce a spark in its own spark gap, as the spark plug of an explosive engine. The rotor convemently com rises the rim of the balance-wheel of an exp osive engine, when the generator is employed to enerate current or an explosive engine while the stator is mounted conigniter,

the crank-shaft of the engine centr1c to within the space surrounded by the rim and is fixed in any suitable manner to the frame of the engine or convenient stationary part. The terminals of the primaries of the coils are closed at predetermined periods in the rotation of the rotor to close the primary circuits and said primary circuits are shar ly broken at a time of maximum magnetic ux in the core of said coils, thus inducing in the secondary circuits high potential currents that leap across the spark gaps in said secondary circuits to produce the sparks desired.

Referring now in detail to the construction of the generator thus generally indicated, 15 designates the crank-shaft of an explosive engine, and 16 designates, as a whole,

the fly-wheel. For structural reasons and to facilitate the assembling of the parts, said wheel ismade of three princi al sections 17, 18 and 19 suitably secure together, the former comprising a central web or spider keyed to the shaft and the latter two parts rim sections. The rim members 18 and 19 are divided in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft and are secured together by bolts 20 (Fi 3). The central web or spider 17 is secure to the rim by screws 21 (Fig. 5). The rim member 19 is provided on the side remote from the central web or spider 17 with an annular radial flange 22 between which and the member 18 is formed an annular recess or chamber 23, to receive the permanent magnets or inductors of the rotor, as will hereinafter more fully appear. Said rim members 18 and 19 are made massive and of a material possessin high magnetic reluctance while the .spi er or web 17 may be made of steel. The said central frame of the wheel is provided with a hub extension 24 surrounding the crank-shaft. Mounted on the hub extension and capable of rotation thereon is a sleeve 25 which carries the stator element of the generator. The rotor therefore, in this embodiment of the invention, rotates at the same speed as the crankshaft, so that the necessary operations of the enerator to produce the spark occur in perect timing relation relatively to the travel of the pistons of the several cylinders of the engine.

The enerator herein shown is adapted for use wit a four cylinder, four cycle explosive engine, it being for this purpose provided with four coils and with four breakers s0 constructed and arranged with a sna -cam as to break the rimary circuit of eac coil once during eac rotation of the shaft, thereby producing four distinct sparks from the several coils during one rotation of the shaft.

The rotor carries four permanentmagnets 26, 26, each made of longitudinally divided curved sections or members fitted flatwise together, as shown in Fig. 3. Associated with said magnets 26' are pole extensions 27, 27 located at e uidistant points about the rotor. The said nected with the magnets by clamping devices which serve in connection with the said extension pieces as means to fix the rotor "magnets 1n place- Said clamping devices that exten consist, as herein shown, of T-shaped fittings each comprising a flat shank 28 that enters.

the space between adjacent ends of two adjoining ma ets, and a transverse head 29 across the outer curved faces of said adjoining magnets. The said fittings and pole extensions are clamped upon the magnets by screw-bolts 30 that extend inwardly through the shanks oi the fittings and have screw-threaded engagement with alined apertures 31 in the pole extensions. The said screw-bolts may be notched at their inner ends, as shown in Fi s. 5 and 6, to admit adjustment of the bo ts from the inner side of the wheel rim. The said ma ets are held laterally in place between radially extending lugs 32, 32 on the member 18 of the rim and flanges 33 extending radially outwardly from the pole extensions and the space between the magnets and the ange 22 of the rim, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. The magnets are supported from radial displacement'by engagement with inwardly facing surfaces on the inner side of the rim, said inwardly facing surfaces bei herein shown as circumferentially separa lid and formed on the lugs 32. This arran ement avoids the necessity of employing bo ts to fasten the ma ets in place and insures a firm and reliab e support of the magnets in the rim by a simple arrangement. As an additional means of fastening the pole extensions 27 in place, they are provided at their'flanged ends with lugs 35, extending laterally outwardly from the gaging suitable apertures in t e radial ange 22 of the rim, as shown in Fig. 5. A two part circular, closing plate 37 is fitted to the wheel on the side op osite the central web 17 to inclose that si e of the wheel, (Figs. 2,3 and 5). The margin of said plate pole extensions are con-- providing an additional interlocking con-' nection between the parts which aids to hold the extensions in place and from tendency to rotate. a

The armature core, designated as a whole by 40, (Figs. 3 and 5), is of laminated construction and is supported non-rotatively on the slee've25 surrounding the extension of the hub 240i the fly-wheel. The said core consists of a central ring 41 and radial core arms 42 surrounded by and supporting the coils 43. As herein shown, said core is sup-. ported between two side frames (Figs. 5 and 10) removably'fitted to said sleeve 25. Said side frames each comprise a central ring 44 and four radial arms 45 between which latter the laminae of such core arms 42 are confined. As herein shown, the said rings 44 are thickened at their inner margins by the addition of supplemental rings 46 fixed thereto and the rings and-the part of the sleeve 25 surrounded by the armature are screw-threaded to constitute the proper interlocking connection between the parts In order to facilitate the assembling of the coils on the armature core, the said core arms 42 are made separate from and are interlocked .to the central ring member 41 thereof. The said interlockin connections consist of inner and outer Vs aped lugs and notches 50 and 51 on the ring and radial arms, respectively, of the armature. This construction admits of the coils being placed over the p'rojections50 of .the ring member of the armature core or the radial members 42 in assembling the parts, afterwhich the outer radial members 42 are inserted in place. The outer ends of the arms 45 of the side frames for the armature core are narrow so that they do not in terfere with the assembling of the coils in this manner. The ends of said radial members of the armaturecore are formed to provide transverse heads 52 giving to said outer members a general T-form; said heads being located radially outside of the coils and constituting the poles of the armature core. The said radial members of the armature core are fastened to the frame b means of bolts 55, extending transverse y through notches 56 in the outer pole ends of said radial members and through registering apertures 57 in the outer ends of the arms of the core attaching plates. The said belts also extend through clamping blocks 58 located one outside of each of said frames, whereby the clamping effect of the bolts is exerted uniformly on all parts of the transverse head ortions of said outer members of said core. he said clamping blocks are rovided with radially extending notches (Fig. 5)- to receive said clamping bolts.

Referring now to the circuits of the generator, it will be noted. that the terminals 60, 61 (Fig. 14) of each primary coil 62 are normally separated but are adapted to be limited time in the rotation of the rotor through the medium of a suitable lfrcaker hereinafter to be described in detail, and designated as a'whole by 70 in said Fig. 14. In practice one of the terminals of each primary may be grounded to the engine frame. The terminals 64, 65 of the secondary 66 of each coil are grounded to the engine frame, and the secondary windings are arranged to rovide loops or exterior circuits 66" in w rich are formed spark ga s or terminals, indicated diagrammaticall at 67 in Fig. 14; it being understood that when applied to an explosive engine said spark terminals or gaps occur in the sparking plug of the engine cylinders. Between the terminals of each of the rimary coils is connected a condenser 68, t e purpose of which is to accumulate a potentia in the primary during the time the primary circuit is closed and to discharge upon t e openlng of the circuit for the purpose of avolding sparking between the separating terminals when the circuit is broken, and also for demagnetizing the core of the coil and strengthening the current in the secondary at this time. The said condensers are conveniently located between adjacent coils, as shown 1n Figs. 4 and 6, and secured between insulated strips or plates 69, 69, which s an the spaces between adjacent coils an are attached to the coil structures. It maybe stated here that the pole extensions of the rotor are so related to the break ers for the primary circuits that the breaking of the primary circuit of each coil occurs at the approximate moment of reversal of the magnetic circuit through the core of that coil. Thus it will be seen that the value of the high potential current inducedin the secondary to produce the ,spark at the gap 67 re i esents the sum of the effects of the reversal of the magnetic circuit and the reversal of the primary circuit, due to the sudden breaking of said circuit and the discharge of the condenser.

Four breakers are herein shown as emloyed, one associated with each of said coils. ach breaker, as a whole, is of elongated roportions, as shown in Figs. 3 and 11. ey are located in the spaces between adjacent arms 42 of the core and are disposed parallel with the axis of rotation of the rotor. They are each adapted to be operated by a snappin cam 70 once during each rotation of t e sha t. Said snappin cam com rises a rin thatencircles the hu of the ba ance-whee (Figs. 3 and 5) and is rigidly attached thereto. Said cam is rovided on its inner face with a single raised portion at 72 at the 65 rear end of whlch (relative to its direction of brought together to close the primary for arotation) is an abrupt cam shoulder 73 (Fig. 13). The cam is adjusted in a predetermined angular relation with respect to the pole extensions of the magnets 26, and said adjustment is made in such manner as to close each ]primary circuit for a limited time during eac 1 rotation of the rotor and to admit of the opening of each primary circuit at the time of approximately, greatest magnetic flux through the core of the coil and also closely coincident with the reversal of the magnetic circuit through said core. The effect of suddenly breaking the primary circuit atthis time is to greatly strengthen the high potential current in the secondary, thus roducing an efficient and reliable spark.

he stator is ca able of angular adjustment about its axis rel ative to the rotor in order to retard or advance the sparking period. This is effected in the present instance by the rotative engagement of the sleeve 25 with the hub extension 24 of the balance wheel, and a desired angular adjustment is maintained by means of an arm 74 fixed to the sleeve and extending radially therefrom for adjustable attachment at its outer end to a stationary part of the engine or other adjacent fixed part.

The circuit breakers for the primary windings of the coils 4-3 are arranged symmetrically about the shaft, one between two adjacent coils. The construction herein illustrated is made as follows, reference being made immediately hereinafter to but a single breaker and its associated coil.

76 designates a tube that extends between and is supported at its ends in oppositely disposed, apertured brackets or lugs 77 attached to the ring members 44 of the armature core fastening frames. The tube is open at its end adjacent to the snap cam 70. A second short tube 77 fits telescopically over and constitutes an extension of the other end of the first tube. Both tubes are hereinafter termed the shell of the breaker.

78 designates an insulated terminal of one side of the primary to which the circuit wire 60 is adapted to be attached. Said terminal consists of a short rod that is mounted to slide endwise in a plug 79 which fits within and closes the adjacent end of the tube, and is made of insulating material. The said terminal is normally pressed inwardly toward the snap cam by a spiral, expansively acting spring 80 located within the shell, said spring surrounding the terminal rod and being interposed between the inner face of said plug 79 and a shoulder 81 at the inner end of said stem or rod. 82 designates the other terminal of the primary. It consists of alonger endwise reciprocating rod that engages at one end the snap cam and is adapted to contact at its other end 6] with the inner end 60 of the spring controlled or yielding terminal pin 78 to close the primary circuit. The inner end of said longer terminal pin 82 I e ages an apertured, fixed guide disk 83,

pansively acting spring 85 inter osed betion of the cam 70, at the time t tween the fixed dis 83 and the s 'oulder or disk 84 on said terminal pin. It will be noted that the longer terminal in has metal to metal engagement with t e shell and cam and constitutes, therefore, a rounded terminal that contacts with an insulated terminal. If desired, of course, said terminal may be insulated also.

1n the operation of this part of the device the terminal pin of each of the breakers is thrust endwise inwardly during1 each rotae outer end of said terminal pin engages the raised face of the cam, and contacts with the shorter terminal pin-78 to close the primary circuit. The travel of the terminal in 82 is greater than the distance between t e same and the insulated terminal pin 78, so that during the final endwise movement of the longer terminal pin the insulated terminal in 78 is moved endwise outwardly against t e action of its spring. During the su sequent retraction of the terminal pin 82, after it has dro ped off the raised face of the cam, the insu ated terminal pin 78 follows it-during the first part of its return movement. The terminal pin 78 reaches the inner limit of its movement while the pin 82 is still moving outwardly, thereby producing a separation of said terminals much more abruptly than if the terminal pin 82 were retracted froman opposing stationary terminal. The abruptness of the breaking of the circuit results in a high potential of induced current in the secondary or sparking circuit, as before stated.

The longer terminal pin 82 of each breaker is capable of rotation and is provided at its end which engages the cam with an angular turned part or crank 82, with which the cam directly engages. The purpose of thus rotatively mounting said pin and roviding it with a crank ortion to engage t e cam isto permit the y-wheel to be rotated rearwardly when desired without its rotation being interrupted by engagement of the longer terminal pin with the abrupt shoulder of the cam. It will be observed that the axes of the ins 82 are radially outside the periphery of t e cam ring, and that the inner ends of the cranks are radially inside said periphery of the ring. It will be furthermore observed that the adjacent outer ends of the breaker shells are slotted to permit the cranks of said ins to project inwardly from the shells. bus the cranks are prevented from rotating so far as to become entirely disengaged from thecams. In order .to prevent the crankarms of said pins from being forced entirely across the periphery of the cam when they i swing over the shoulder portions of the cam, as stated, stops 90 are provided to limit .the endwise'movement of said pins 82. As herein shown said stops are formed upon the inner ends of the pins82. Obviously, however, the sto s ma the cam if esiredl Thus when the wheel and cam are rotated rearwardly and the shoulder of the cam strikes the crank portion of the terminal in, the pin rotates to permit the crank to ride over the shoulder on the higher face ofthe cam. 13' thus turningthe fly-wheel backwardly and orwardly a poten-.

tial is built up such as will produce a current in the secondary associated with the breaker to produce a spark at a time when the engine is not running.

The mounting of the coils" onthe stator is advantageous inasmuch as this construction avoids the use of collector rings whichwould be necessary if the coils were carried by the rotor. In the present instance, thewires of the secondary, suitabl insulated, lead outwardl through suitab e o e in the closing p ate 37 and the-'hu of t e adjusting arm 74 (Figs. 2 and 5).

A general advantage of the construction herein shown is the great compactness with which" the mechanism is assembled. The

generator occupies but little s ace beyond that occupied y a balance-w eel of usual size and construction. Furthermore, the parts of the generator are effectively protected from dust and dirt. A further advantage of the construction shown is that the diameter of the stator admits of a high speed of the pole extensions'of the inductor past the pole-pieces of the coils, thereby hi h current efficiency to the generator. claim as my invention 1. In an igniting apparatus for explosive engines, the combination with a'plurality of sparking terminals, of an electric generator 0 the alternating t e embracing a stator provided with a purality' of radially arran ed cores, coils surroundin said cores, eac composed of a primary an a secondary windin the sparking terminals being included m the secondary circuitsya rotor carrying a plurality of inductors having pole extenslons rotating in inductive relation to the cores of said coils, circuit breakers for the primaries of said coils supported on said stator and located one between each two adjacent coils, and a cam carried by the rotorfor separately and successively operating said breakers.

2. In an igniting apparatus for explosive engines, the combinat10n with a plurality of be formed in the face of terminals being included in the secondary I the central laminated ring having projections circuits, a rotor carrying a plurality of. inl which extend into the umer ends of the coils ductors having pole extensions rotating in inductive relation to the cores of said coils, means for successively breaking the primary circuits of said coils, including circuit breakeis located one between each two adjacent coils, and condensers connected between the terminals of the primar coils and located one between each two ar jacent coils radially outside of the circuit breakers.

3. In an igniting apparatus for explosive engines, the combination with a plurality of s)arking terminals, of an electric generator oi the alternating type embracing a stator provided with a plurality of cores, coils surrounding said cores, each composed of a primary and a secondary winding, the sparking terminals being included in the secondary circuits, a rotor carrying a plurality of inductors havin pole extensions rotating in inductive reiittion to the cores of said coils, means for successively breaking the primary circuits of said coils, and condensers connected between the terminals of the primary coils, said condensers being located one between each two adjacent coils and supported on the coil structures.

4. In an igniting apparatus for explosive engines, the combination with a plurality of sparking terminals, of an electric generator of the alternating type embracing astator having a plurality of radial cores, coils surrounding said cores, each embracing a primary and a secondary winding, the secondary windings being connected severally with the s arking terminals, a rotor carrying a plura ity of inductors having pole extensions rotatin in inductive relation to the cores of the 00' s, circuit-breakers located between said cores, each embracing an endwise movable terminal pin disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor and a cam fixed to the rotor and having a laterally facing cam surface for actuating said terminal pins.

5. In a sparking apparatus for explosive engines, an electric generator comprising a rotor and a stator, an inductor carried by the rotor and provided with a plurality of pole extensions, said stator comprising a central ring and radial core pieces and coils surrounding said core pieces, said ring having parts extending into the coils and said core pieces being separably joined to said parts of the central ring within and between t 1e ends of the coils.

6. In a sparking apparatus for explosive engines, an electric generator comprising a rotor and a stator, an inductor carried by the rotor and provided with a plurality of pole extensions, said stator comprising a central laminated ring and radially arranged lan1i nated core pieces with means for confining the laminae of the core ieces flatwise together, and coils surroundlng said core pieces,

and the laminated core pieces being separa-= bly joined to such extensions within and be tween the ends of the coils.

7. In a sparking apparatus for explosive engines, an electric generator comprising a rotor and a stator, the stator comprising a central laminated ring and radial laminated core pieces, said core pieces being made separable from the central ring, coils surrounding the said core pieces, side framemembers, and means for clamping said side frame members upon the radial core ieces to hold the laminated structure toget er.

8. In a sparking apparatus for explosive engines, an electric generator comprising a rotor and a stator, the stator comprising a central laminated ring and radial laminated core pieces, coils surrounding said core pieces, side frames members mounted on the art which-carries said stator, and rods exten ing through the outer ends of said frame mem bers and laminated core pieces for clamping the laminae of the core pieces together, said side frame members being made narrower than the laminae of the core pieces, and the core pieces being made separable from the central ring.

9. The combination with a balance wheel of an explosive engine provided in its rim with an annular chamber, of an inductor in said chamber comprising a plurality of curved magnets sections arranged end to end the inner side of the rim being provided with supporting projections against which the outer sides of the sections bear and are supported, pole extensions fitted to the inner side of the inductor at the junctions of said magnet sections, core pieces disposed concentrically about the axis of the said wheel within the space surrounded by said induce tor and coils surrounding said core pieces and supported thereon.

10. In a sparking apparatus for explosive engines, an electric generator comprising a rotor and a stator, the stator comprising a central laminated ring and radial laminated core pieces, coils surrounding said core pieces, side frame-membersmounted on the art which carries said stator, and rods exten ing through the outer ends of said frame members and laminated core pieces for clamping the laminae of the core together, said side frame members being made narrower than the laminae of the core pieces, and the core pieces being made separable from the central ring and joined thereto by notches on one of ner side ofsaid rim being rovided with a plurality of lugs against whic the outer sidescoils surrounding and supported by said core' ,leces. p '12. The combination with a balance wheel of an explosive engine provided in its rim with an annular chamber, of an inductor in said chamber comprising a plurality of curved sections arranged end to end, the radially outer sides of which bear against and are su ported by inwardly facing projections of sai rim, pole extensions fitted to the inner side of said inductor at the junctions of said sections, clamping devices for fixing said pol'e extensions in place and for rigidly connecting said inductor sections, core pieces dis osed concentrically about the axis of sai wheel within the-space surrounded by said inductor and coils surrounding said core pieces.

13. The combination with a balance wheel of an explosive engine provided in its rim with an annular chamber, of an inductor in said chamber comprising a plurality of curved sections arranged end to end, the rim being provided with inwardly facing surfaces against which the radially outer sides of said inductor sections bear, pole extensions fitted to the inner side of said inductor at the junctions of said sections, T-shaped fittings, the shanks of which extend between the ends of said inductor sections and the heads of which overlap the radially outer sides of the adj acent ends thereof, clamping bolts extending inwardly through said fittings and having I r screw threaded engagement withsaid pole extensions, core pieces dis osed concentrically about the axis of sai wheel and coils surrounding said core pieces.

14. The combination with a balance-wheel of an explosive engine provided in its rim with an annular chamber, of an inductor in said chamber com rising a plurality of curved magnets, eac 1 consisting of a number of sections placed flatwise together arranged end to end, ole extensions fitted to the inner side of the inductor at the junctions of said magnets, said pole extensions being provided with flanges which fit between one side wall of said chamber and the inductor and between which and the other side wall of the chamber the sections of the inductor magnets are confined, core pieces disposed concentrically about the axis of said wheel within the space surrounded by said inductor and coils surrounding said core pieces.

15. The combination with a balance wheel of an explosive en ne provided inits rim with an annular c amber, of an inductor in -said chamber comprising a plurality of curved magnets arranged end to end, each consisting of a number of sections placed flatwise together pole extensions fitted to the inner side of the inductor at the junctions of said magnets and clamped thereto, lugs extending laterally from said pole extensions and engaging sockets in the adjacent side wall of said chamber by means preventing rotation of said pole extensions, core pieces disposed concentrically about the axis of the wheel, and coils surrounding said core pieces.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 6th day of February A. D. 1907. v

' CHESTER H. THORDARSON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM L. HALL, GEORGE R. WILKINS. 

